Thursday, December 30, 2010

"Jesus wept"

John 11:35 tells us that Jesus wept. He wept over the anguish of a loss.

Lately there have been a lot of losses around me. People I love suffering through betrayal and hurt. People suffering through losing people they love. Those suffering through debilitating illnesses. Before I would find myself getting angry at God, but I am finding right now that I am weeping. It makes me think, is God weeping along with us?

Friends have lost a child recently. A couple days a go another friend died. A victim of a horrible accident, in a second the family lost their father and their husband. All in the blink of an eye. I always have believed that a parent should NEVER ever have to outlive their children. It is so heart breaking to witness any loss. These recent losses got me thinking further. These are God's children. So our Father is outliving His children. Does it make His heart weep? Does it make His heart ache?

I am thankful that in this time of mourning and uncertainty God is with us. I am thankful that we "do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin." Hebrews 4:15

So this Father, this High Priest, our Jesus is able to sympathize with us. I find myself in this time doing something much different then I have ever done before. Rather then blaming and yelling at and criticizing God I find myself weeping. Imagining that He is along side me weeping along with me.

During this season of weeping my heart is so sore. It is hard to wrap our heads around and understand this side of heaven all the hurt and pain that each of those I love is going through. But in Faith I will walk believing that Jesus is weeping with us. That He will not abandon us during this time.

"Jesus wept", we are free to do the same, knowing that Jesus understands and He will protect us during this time. Pray with me for peace in the lives of all those hurting. Within the church family, blood family and friend family. Only God knows the reason and it is hard to just pray and feel so helpless. But it is times like this that I wonder, what else CAN I do?